An Giang Seafood Processing in Search of Sustainable Development

In recent years, seafood processing has become a spearhead economic sector in An Giang province. Before the heavy pressure of international economic integration becomes a reality, the industry is searching for new methods of sustainable development.

At present, with a high growth rate of aquaculture, in particular tra and basa catfish farming, seafood processing plants for export in An Giang have had adequate materials for their operation. The province’s area for aquaculture increased from 1,253 hectares in 2000 to 2,875 hectares at present. As a result, the province’s total production output rose from 171,424 tonnes in 2000 to 230,000 tonnes in 2005, of which 74 per cent went to aquaculture. A rapid development in fish farming has led to a new wave of investment in the processing industry. Since 2000, apart from their initial investment capital, to improve their competitiveness, seafood processing enterprises in An Giang have invested over VND 100 billion in renewing technology and equipment, increasing capacity and expanding workshops to diversify products for export. So far, An Giang province has had 12 seafood processing plants for export with a total capacity of 70,000 tonnes of finished products per annum. It is possible to say that the seafood processing industry has become a driving force for the development of An Giang’s industrial sector, contributing to the increase of around 22 per cent of export turnover, which accounts for around 42 per cent of the province’s total export value.

Over the past number of years, the private sector has invested US$30 million in building processing plants. The formation of many modern frozen plants has helped increase the province’s fish processing capacity from between 100 and 120 tonnes to between 500 and 600 tonnes per day. As a result, An Giang has become the leading province in processing and exporting tra and basa catfish.

An Giang’s seafood processing industry has affirmed its solid position with products meeting international standard. In order to achieve this, An Giang has concentrated on developing a clean industry with products of secured quality. Huynh The Nang, director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of An Giang, said in the coming time, the province would upgrade fry production farms, so they would be able to supply fries meeting the clean and safe requirements. Also, the province will build farming areas meeting the standard, helping farmers to change production structure in accordance with the market demand. Also, scientific and technological renewal and application will be promoted to have clean materials. Recently, 19 farmers in An Giang and Thot Not, Can Tho city, have been granted with the SQF 1000 certificates and the An Giang Seafood Import and Export Joint stock Company has been given with the SQF 2000 certificate. This is evidence for the province’s efforts to form clean and safe material supply areas, and a safe and clean processing industry in the future.

 

In its seafood processing development strategy throughout 2010, An Giang will focus on increasing processing capacity, renewing technology of the existing plants to bring their processing capacity to over 110,000 tonnes per annum. Also, the province will call for investment for the building of 6,000 tonne per year seafood plants in the industrial parks of Binh Long in Chau Phu district and Binh Hoa in Chau Thanh district. In addition, the existing seafood processing plants have planned to increase their production capacity, renew technology. As a result, their production capacity is expected to increase by between 20 and 30 per cent in the next year.

 

The An Giang seafood processing industry has gradually developed in a sustainable manner based on a ‘five-party’ co-operation. The model will make a break through, settling conflicts between farmers and enterprises in the ‘four-party’ co-operation model. This will help An Giang stabilise its processing industry in a sustainable manner.